Invisible Saraswati's water appears on LCD screen

ALLAHABAD: Inaugurating the renovated facility of Saraswati Koop at OD Fort here, General Officer in Commanding (GOC), Central Area Command, Lieutenant General Anil Chait shared with army personnel how while reading a book titled 'Case of Missing River', the importance of Saraswati river dawned on him and the Saraswati Koop revamp work was taken up and completed within a record one month's time.

"Our epics and rich culture speak volumes about the third river of Triveni or Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. By those writings we were inspired to give the pilgrims at least a glimpse of the sacred and crystal clear Saraswati water in the 'koop' (well) on an LCD screen through a camera installed on its roof. We have highlighted the koop and hope that experts could come forward and do research on the koop, its history and circumstances after which the river disappeared, may be after tectonic activities," he added.

The GOC-in-C, in an exclusive interview to TOI (February 10), had said that the army, which had already upgraded facilities for 'darshan' of Patalpuri temple and the invisible Saraswati koop, would soon make arrangements for pilgrims to also see the water of the 'third and invisible' river of Sangam-Saraswati-in the mirrors installed inside the well and adjusted at an angle so that the visitor will not even have to peep inside the koop and see the water.

The work for the revamped and unique facility was completed in a month and it was inaugurated on Monday. Covered from all sides with glass windows, the army has fitted halogen lights inside the koop to bring image of the clear water.

After the formal inauguration, the GOC, along with the divisional commissioner Devesh Chaturvedi, IG Alok Kumar, Mela Adhikari Mani Prasad Mishra, Sub Area Commander Maj General Vishambhar Dayal and other senior officers of Indian Army and police, interacted with the media at the central control tower installed at the Fort.

"We want to reassure that Indian Army would always be there at the service of the countrymen as you can see from facilities that the army has developed for pilgrims", said Chait. Efforts are on to bring all the living PVC (Param Veer Chakra) winners on a common platform so that youngsters of the country are inspired to join India Army, he added.

On being asked about any new projects coming up at or around the Mela area after successful completion of Kumbh, the GOC said that army was there for all help if any proposal came up. "We have flying doctors (referring to helicopter ambulance service of 60 Para Field hospital stationed in Agra) pressed into service to airlift four injured persons following the incident of fire out at Sector 8 during Kumbh.

Sub Area Commander Maj Gen Dayal added, "Army has already undertaken civil work for beautification of major crossings around the mela area like the one at Harshvardhan crossing".

Asked about construction of Pucca Ghat at Sangam area, the divisional commissioner said, "The proposal is still pending with the ministry of defence".